THE UM BUDDY DEFRANCO JAZZ FESTIVAL will be held Friday and Saturday in the University Theater on the UM campus. Concert times for both nights are 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 each night, or $40 for both nights ($17/$30 for students and seniors), and available at www.griztix.com, at all GrizTix outlets, or by calling 1-888-MONTANA.
Friday night's concert features guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and multi-instrumentalist James Morrison.
Saturday night's concert features saxophonist Phil Woods and trombonist John Allred.
The UM Jazz Band I has barely played a measure of "Stompin' at the Savoy" before director Lance Boyd stops the band, closing his hands into fists. And that means halt.
Something's wrong right out of the gate, and Boyd won't let that happen. Not in his band.
"You've got to jump on that first note!" he implores. "Sting it so we know it's there."
Try No. 2.
The band stings the first note, all right. And you can pretty much count on that note being stung from now on, as Boyd the perfectionist demands nothing less.
It's rehearsal time in the University of Montana music building on Monday as the band's regularly scheduled meeting takes on a different air than most rehearsals.
In just four days, the UM Jazz Band I will appear on stage with multiple masters of jazz as the annual UM Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival kicks off. For many in the band, Friday and Saturday's performances will be two of the few times in their lives that they'll play alongside the likes of DeFranco himself, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, trumpet master James Morrison (also a multi-instrumentalist), alto sax legend Phil Woods and trombonist John Allred.
These last rehearsals can be quite intense, especially for the young jazz players who are balancing school, work, upcoming finals and the biggest concerts of the year. Plus, there are extra rehearsals, like a two-hour Sunday night cram session the band held the night before Monday's rehearsal. ("Hey, seems like we were just here a couple of hours ago," says guitarist Chris Entz, greeting his friend and fellow Reverend Slanky bandmate, pianist Bryan Bakevich).
If Boyd, well into his fourth decade of jazz education at UM, cares about those nagging concerns, he doesn't say a word about it.
Monday's rehearsal, in fact, began with an order for even more work. Boyd had gone through the scores, studied the weaknesses of his band's sound and highlighted multiple passages and sections that need practice.
"You should isolate on those sections that need work," Boyd says, handing out sheets of paper. "I've tried to identify those, and if you know of others, that's great too. But these ones I've identified, they concern me the most."
The weaknesses may be understandable. The Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival concerts always seem so polished to audiences, but the real story behind the sound is the feverish and rapid assimilation of the music into a cohesive whole.
The bands have not had their music for long. It was only a month ago, remember, that the jazz program held its spring concert. And getting entire scores prepared for five giants of jazz in that time is no simple task.
"The Phil Woods charts, by far, are the hardest ones we have," says bassist Martin Celt, who is performing in his first jazz festival. "Everybody's more worried about his charts than anyone else. Plus we hear that he's a real stickler. So it's got to be perfect, pretty much."
Boyd knows that perfection is impossible, but it's a secret he keeps with him.
Obtaining perfection, or the semblance of it, comes with a pencil in Boyd's bands. You'd better have one with your music, or Boyd will unhappily provide you with one.
"Are you getting all of this?" he asks the fourth trumpet player, who looks at Boyd with a blank stare. "Tell you what," says Boyd, grabbing a pencil and tossing it up. "From me to you."
Boyd has always demanded the most of his bands, and still does, but time has clearly softened his demeanor. As intense as Monday's rehearsal is, there is also a good dose of humor mixed in with all the sax solis and shout choruses.
"If you think today is stressful," says Boyd, "wait until Wednesday's rehearsal. Load up on caffeine!"
"And crack!" comes a reply.
"Crack" is exactly what Boyd does with his hand during the shout chorus of "Take the A-Train," his directorial motions so exaggerated that he smashes his hand against his music stand so hard, it flips the score to another page.
Boyd calls for the next tune. "Skank!" he shouts.
"Skank" is the band's term of endearment for "Whatever Lola Wants," a big-band arrangement of the "Guys and Dolls" classic.
"Song for My Father," "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Nutville" ... the band runs through them all in rapid-fire succession as the hour draws to a close.
Trombonist Buddy Baker, a clinician at the jazz festival and a jazz luminary in his own right, is playing the solo part during this rehearsal that John Allred will play with the band on Saturday night.
"Nice job!" Baker tells the band. "Looking forward to the weekend. Should be great."
Boyd smiles. "Couple more meetings, and we'll have it."
Reporter Jamie Kelly, who played in the UM jazz bands for seven years, can be reached at 523-5254 or at jkelly@missoulian.com.
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